Being a teacher, being a Sat Nav; an objective view and a subjective view

How wonderful to have a good sat nav? It shows the correct, efficient and most direct way to driver.

However, can you imagine how awful to have a rubbish Sat Nav? It won't show you a correct way. When driver take wrong turn, it takes ages to find alternative root. Sat Nav has not up dated but world is up dating every day, therefore, it can not find a right place even type an address. Driver does not even know how many mileage left to the destination or what time they will get to the distillation. This Sat Nav will not make driver want to drive any where. With sat nav like this, driver won't get any where or just get lost by the process of driving! By the consequences of this rubbish sat nav, the car might will break down and no more petrol left to drive around.

Now, please re-read the sentence above with changing the words "Driver" to students, and "Sat Nav" as teacher....

Teaching is a team work of students and tracers. Same as Sat Nav can not get to the destination without a driver to take. Teachers need to use their objective point of view to re-focus student's subjective view.

As often find an answer can be a difficult process even the answer is simple and clear. That is because subject; student is too close to the answer. Often closer we get less we see. Therefore, teacher's objective, distanced view become necessarily to solve their problems.

 This is a students point of view; a subjective point of view. When they are stuck in problem, trying to work a way out to solve the problem. But, very much lost because hey do not see where they are,therefore, they do not know where to go or which direction to prceed. And, eventually students get tired, injured and no other choice but stop or give up.

 This is a good teacher's point of view; an objective point of view. They know the place very well, as they have already been to the place or this maze as they were student. Therefore, they know exactly how to guide the student, if the teacher knows where the students are in the maze or in the place.

Then, new question has occurred. So, do you think can teachers guide the students if teachers have ever been to the place or ever been to the maze of problem? 

Questionnaire

I have made new questionnaire for my inquiry.

1, How did you find the level of the workshop in terms of your own standard (eg, too difficult / could be more challenging / the level suited your standard etc.)?


2, Was there anything in particular which you liked or thought worked well with the workshop?



3, Was there anything about the workshop you disliked or thought could use improvement?


4, Is there anything you think we should be including in future workshops which were not included in your workshop?



5, Do you have any overall comments about the workshop?



6, Would you like to be contacted about further workshops we may be holding in your area?

I need to encourage students to actively express their opinions by using their own words, as  can ask them to corporate but I can not make them participate if they don't feel like it. Maybe I should give them a sticker if they participate well....

Genius Note

I have created a method clear my thoughts for my inquiry and investigation.

I named as "Genius Note".

It started as I was in a restaurant with my wife and son. And, he was getting bored and stareted to act a bit naughty. So, I got told from my wife to get something to keep my son busy, therfore I went to the closest to shop and got a note book and coloure

pens, as I thought he can draw on the note book with lots of different colour pen. However, it turned up that my wife wanted me get some toys as she packed pens and paper already:(

Therefore, a note book and some colour pens has left. Then, I thought it maybe a good opportunity to use them for my work. I have already write down things for my work, however it ever be so structured, therfore I can not blog them to share or use them as my evidence of my work. However, this works greatly. As, I can do what I usually do to on the left side of the page, then, later on I can edit them and write nicely on the right side, therefore people would understand what and why I draw random thoughts; people visibly see my work process and they see how I work and how my brain work. Most importantly I visually see how my brain work, and this process clear my thoughts out before I transfer on to the blog to share! I am away from home as I am touring, but when I get home I will scan them and blog them!
Genius Note, working well so far....

Life and Performance

The fate has been decided and same time has not been decided.

Mr Y Kouno explains that, life and fate is like the role we have been given in performance; it has already decided and given to us. And it is impossible to change.  Therefore, we have no choice but to play the role we have given. However, same time he says we have freedom and choice of  how to play the role. We cannot change who we are, we must accept that. However, we have a choice to be exactly how we wish to be.

As I am thinking of quitting my job as a professional dancer by end of this season, his quote had a massive impact on my attitude as a dancer. After I have read his book I have decided that, I am going to explore the roles I have given as a dancer till maximum capacity. No fear, no worrying about standing out or braking the balance of performance, I just need to go for it to see new and different levels. This was hard as I needed my contract to be continued to bring in a steady income. But, now I think back, maybe my life as a dancer and an artist was gone  the moment when I started to afraid of being sucked and trying to be a good dancer. 

However, I have two more months till tour and the contract ends, I am going to fill up the roll I have been given to maximum potential. Explore!

Quote from Mr Y Kouno's book "Be Precarious, Be strong "

Blogging

I thought about why I am blogging my thoughts, questions and findings.
Because is it part of this BAPP course? Yes.
But, I also noticed that, more I write down my thoughts, clearer my thoughts get.
The book I m reading, it recommend blogging or writing diary. The book says it does not  have to make sense or it does not have be understood by the others. These blogging and writing down methods helps understanding what I really want to know; clarify the all unnecessary thoughts and questions, and take us to where we need to be.
I had a problem with blogging. And, I guess it is still a problem. My problem was I was always worried about my English. When I write blog to post, it takes about three days. Because I was so afraid and embarrassed about English. This blog will be read by other students, and my English should be better. but, the fact is NOT. So, I am going to use this blogging method to understand about my self more than before.

If, people are reading my blog, probably most likely do not make sense to you. But, I am going to use this blog more like a diary, as well as a method to share the thoughts with the others.

My chaotic mind need tidy up!

The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.

More I teach, more I learn, then, I realise a fact that how much I do not know about what I am teaching and what I am doing.
Experience provides more questions, new answer double the question.
I really often wonder how much I really understand what I am trying to communicate with the students.

The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing. This is a quote of famous philosopher Socrtes.
I do agree with him, however, it does not really help the situation. This is a very deep true wisdom, but not practical. If, not practical, that means useless.
I think I realise how much I do not know about what I am teaching every time I teach or take class.
So, what can I do?

Individuality in Ballet

Ballet is a very traditional form of dance compare to other type of dance and
it is been taught in all over the world, and every country and methods have slightly different rules and priority

.As I explained before, ballet has strict rules, history and tradition, these factors make ballet as it is till today.

Then, I questioned my self why every countries have different style in ballet?

Eastern Europe has mixture of Russian and  European style of ballet.
Germany is mainly mix of American technique and traditional European style.
Meditterenuem focus on strong technique rather than style.
Russian technique is very physical and mixed of gymnastic in most of the country

I wondered why. Then, I have realised that every countries have own tradition, weather, and own back ground. These factors have effect on their style of ballet.
Especially eastern  Europe has a big in effluence from Russia as they used be united. Therefore it makes sense that their style became very similar to Russian style.
German style is mixed of all style, based on American fast style technique with twist of European upper body, as America had big influence after the war, it is understandable how the style has became.

These back ground of the history and difference of culture make every country very different from each other.
Like cooking, people cook same food all over the world, but they do not look and taste the same, even they have cooked similar way.

British omelet and Spanish Omelet tastes not the same as ingredients and the way of cooking is slightly different.

British take away Chinese and traditional Chinese food is again tastes very different.

I have discussed about this with my colleagues and we came down to a conclusion why; as we are all individuals, we all want and find interest in individually different things. The value of objects and information changes with time, place and depend on people.
Even same as teacher. My self as a teacher I have some priority in ballet rules which I ask students to archive. But, different teachers have different preference. Some teachers focus on clean technique, some on performance, etc...Learn from only one teacher is making one's self blind. We all know Carrots are good for us, but important fact is to eat a lot of different foods to maintain the health.
More I have learn about ballet as a practitioner, I understand the importantness of having a balance. Try not to believe a teacher blindly, listen to all the teachers and make our own best decision that we can make from all the information and experience we have and given in that time. And, later on again our decision changes by finding out more about ballet and our seves.